Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Artificial Intelligence (AI) among Rheumatology Professionals: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey.

Introduction: Artificial intelligence (AI), as a significant technological advancement, aims to simulate and automate human intelligence. Aim/Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of artificial intelligence among rheumatology professionals in India. Methods: We invited rheumatology professionals to complete an online survey from June to September 2024. Online surveys were circulated in social media and emails. A descriptive analysis was conducted to compare whether survey responses varied between respondents who received training in AI earlier, consultants, and residents in rheumatology. Result: The survey included 173 participants, mostly from private hospitals. The response rate was 11.53%. While awareness of AI was high (98.3%), only 54.3% understood specific terminology such as machine learning. Although 81.5% believed AI could enhance patient care, only 33.5% regularly used AI tools in clinical practice. A substantial knowledge gap exists, and there is a need for formal training sessions in Artificial Intelligence among rheumatology professionals. The main obstacles to applying AI were patient data security concerns (64.2%), potential ethical and human implications of using AI in medicine (25.4%), and insufficient training (3.5%). Half feared losing their expertise, and AI had a difficult learning curve. Conclusion: The results indicate a substantial knowledge gap and the need for formal training sessions in Artificial Intelligence among rheumatology professionals.